Beacons, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) public benefit nonprofit
empowering adults with diverse intellectual abilities!
IMPORTANT INFORMATION:
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12/9: Club Beacons "Winter Wonderland" (6 - 9 pm) EventBrite Link
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12/15: Explorer Makers' Market & Coffee Cart (11 am - 1 pm)
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1/19: PathFinder Workshops Begin! Sign Up Here
PATHFINDER SPRING 2024
Orientation & Tour: 1/19/24
Workshops: 1/22- 5/17/24
SPRING 2024
Workshops are held Monday - Thursday, with Friday support to finish projects, develop soft skills and more! Beacons will offer the following workshops this spring.
Monday - Thursday
10 - 2 pm: Team building, soft skills, speakers and individual skills enhancement
Important dates for Spring 2024:
Jan. 20 - Orientation for trainees and families.
Feb. 19 - President's Day Holiday
May 17 - Last day of spring workshops
July 1 - Summer workshops begin
SDRC vendor number: PY1700, Code: 102, Subcode: SPR (Total hours: 240 - Approx. 16 - 17 weeks)
Please note that attendance is part of the entrance criteria and individuals absent for more than 5 days may be exited from the workshop.
News! 100% of the trainees from our Fall 2021 and Spring 2022 workshop who wanted employment found competitive integrated employment (CIE) within one month of the workshop ending. Great teamwork!
PathFinder Details
Persons who have classroom skills, an interest in employment, and who can
participate without disrupting the learning of others are encouraged to apply.
(SDRC vendor number: PY1700, Code: 102, Subcode: SPR)
1. FORMS REQUIRED:
2. STEPS NEEDED:
a. SDRC paperwork must be submitted
Please request that your "IPP" (Individual Program Plan) and "CDER" (Client Development Evaluation Report) be sent to: Pathfinder@BeaconsNorthCounty.com. Request the addition of the vocational workshop to the applicant's IPP, and that a "POS" (Purchase of Service) request be completed and submitted to fund the workshop.
For individuals in the Self-Determination program, please discuss inclusion of this workshop with your independent facilitator and SDRC service coordinator.
b. Screening/Intake Meeting:
After the applicant's IPP and CDER have been received, our Pathfinder team will contact the applicant and/or her/his conservators to set up an intake meeting to make sure the workshop supports the applicant's IPP goals, the applicant meets the entrance criteria set forth in the application, and the applicant is interested in the employment goal of the workshop.
3. GENERAL INFORMATION
Workshop overview: All workshops are specifically designed with tools, best practices and pacing designed for individuals with developmental disabilities to optimize independent learning without the need for parental or instructional aid support at home or during our onsite workshops. Each workshop includes internet safety training, pre-and post assessments for each unit to measure progress, extra hours for additional instruction if needed or wanted to meet a level of proficiency, materials and/or licenses needed for the workshop, soft skills training, creation of person-centered plans for post-workshop transitioning, employment placement support, and more!
Ratios & Enrollment: Workshops require a minimum of 5 trainees to proceed. In the event the minimum enrollment for a workshop is not met, Beacons reserves the right to cancel or reschedule a workshop, or offer a different workshop altogether.
Devices: If onsite, Trainees will be provided with a 15.6" yoga touchscreen Chromebook with a mouse accessory, but are welcome to bring their own device if they prefer. If a workshop is provided via zoom, Beacons has loaner devices for trainees who do not have devices available to use at home.
Materials: Each trainee will be provided with his/her own materials and sanitation kit for safe learning onsite.
Creative Design Studio
Creative Design 1: Trainees will learn how to use graphic design programs and tools to make marketing materials, books, puzzles, websites, social media graphics and more as they work with others to develop their technical and soft skills. Trainees will learn digital drawing, basic animation and more!
Creative Design 2: CD 2 is more individualized to help trainees use creative design for self-employment and specific projects or product lines. Sample projects may include development of curriculum to teach, product development, and more! Applicants must have a business idea or plan they would like to develop. Successful completion of CD 1 is preferred, but not required.
Trainees in each workshop will also:
• develop person-centered plans to help shape their futures,
• work with templates to help them work with clients post-workshop, and
• create websites for employment profiles to showcase earned digital badges and skill-specific certificates, and portfolios.
Pre & post assessments and progress monitoring for each unit are all included.
Post-Workshop Goal Pathway(s):
Post-workshop pathways will be driven by each participant's person-centered plan and may include further education, paid internships, job coaching, competitive integrated employment, and/or employment related volunteer opportunities. Ideally, the trainee will develop sufficient skills to make the trainee eligible for employment with the workshop client post-workshop.
Cost: For eligible SDRC consumers, the SDRC will fund one workshop per session. Trainees with achievement levels of 3 for the majority of the units are not eligible to repeat.
Entrepreneurial Skills 1
Entrepreneurial Skills: Trainees interested in learning about the skills and documentation needed to start their own business (or grow their existing business). Instruction includes assistive technology, creation of accommodations, and introduction to other tools to increase independence and sustainability of a business. This workshop focuses on group businesses and teamwork.
Workshop Highlights: Trainees will explore:
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community sales skills such as cashier and customer interaction skills;
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photography and graphic design to help with branding and marketing, logo creation, and packaging,
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basic office skills for record-keeping and order /inventory management;
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creation of "forever" tools to support sales, order management, and inventory tracking;
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SSI planning and reporting;
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person-centered planning to devise a post-workshop transition plan or to help with Self-Determination planning if needed;
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website design and support to help link to payment processor/merchant card carrier;
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what documents they will need to start a business (e.g. business license and/or sales permit),*
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and more!
*Note: Trainees will learn about the filings needed to secure a business license or sales permit in this workshop. Meetings will be held with each trainee's Circles of Trust to discuss SSI, taxes and other considerations to make sure the trainee's team is aware of tax, SSI and other implications before proceeding with business filings.
Post-Workshop Goal Pathway(s):
Post-workshop pathways will be driven by each participant's person-centered plan and may include further education, paid internships, job coaching, competitive integrated employment and/or employment related volunteer opportunities.
Cost: For eligible SDRC consumers, the SDRC will fund one workshop per session. Trainees with achievement levels of 3 for the majority of the units are not eligible to repeat.
Customer Service Skills
Customer Service 1: Trainees interested in community employment will learn:
• workplace and soft skills such as cashier skills, soft skills and other tasks used in settings that require a high level of customer interaction (such as retail stores, grocery stores, restaurants, hospitality, animal care and more!);
• develop person-centered plans to help shape their futures,
• create interview & workplace accommodation plans,
• train for (and take) the San Diego County food handling test, and
• create websites for employment profiles to showcase earned digital badges and skill-specific certificates.
Job searches and completion of applications, interview practice, direct engagement with local employers, unit pre & post assessments and progress monitoring are all included.
Customer Service 2:
• Practice hard and soft skills needed to retain employment
• Work onsite with potential employers through MOUs
• Understand legal protections as well as workplace safety and hazards when working in a competitive integrated environment
• Use SSI tools and worksheets to understand income and benefits
Post-Workshop Goal Pathway(s):
Post-workshop pathways will be driven by each participant's person-centered plan and may include further education, paid internships, job coaching, competitive integrated employment and/or employment related volunteer opportunities.
Cost: For eligible SDRC consumers, the SDRC will fund one workshop per session. Trainees with achievement levels of 3 for the majority of the units are not eligible to repeat.
Instructor Information
Questions? Email:
Pathfinder
Tyler has spent the last decade using his personal and career experiences to support and empower individuals with various disabilities. Tyler served as an assistant coach for the Independent division of the San Diego Miracle League and volunteer for Shooting Stars basketball, founded Project Puzzle (an Autism awareness club) and was awarded the North Coastal Consortium for Special Education "Excellence in Supporting Students with Disabilities."
While pursuing his Psychology degree at San Diego State University, Tyler was an advocate for students with varying disabilities and planned school wide inclusive events as the Program Coordinator for Student Disability Services. While at SDSU, he also founded the Delta Alpha Phi international honor society.
After graduating from SDSU, Tyler relocated to Hawaii to continue his work with neurodiverse individuals in the school setting. After working in the district setting for 2 years, Tyler returned to San Diego to follow his passion and to work as an instructor with Beacons, Inc.
Tyler has been a valued member of the Beacons Pathfinder team since summer of 2020 when he started as an associate instructor for the Beacons summer vocational exploration workshops. He now serves as the Director of PathFinder and as an instructor for our vocational training workshops with a proven record of successfully working with those Beacon serves to find employment.
Tyler's experience, high energy, positive attitude and patience helps optimize each individual's growth during the Beacons vocational workshops.
Robbie grew up in North County and graduated from UC San Diego with a Bachelor's Degree in World Literature and a Masters Degree in Education. He has 5 years of high school teaching experience and returns to San Diego after spending the last year teaching mathematics in the Mojave Desert.
Robbie has spent the last two years teaching for COSMOS, a summer robotics program at UC San Diego, developing self-driving vehicles with high school students interested in careers in science and technology. He has an interest in accessible technology and is active in communities online dedicated to improving “hands free” technology for operating computers by voice.
Robbie serves as a lead vocational instructor for Creative Design 1 and Customer Service 1 workshops. He is committed to establishing lasting contacts in the community to find vocational opportunities for his trainees and i to supporting them in any way he can.
Abbi joined Beacons from Dream Catchers EDH, an organization similarly devoted to empowerment of individuals with disabilities, where she served as its social media director and as an assistant instructor. While at Dream Catchers, Abbi helped teach cooking, life skills, fitness training, skills for its theater program and other activities as well as plan for monthly activities.
Prior to Dream Catchers EDH, Abbi served a Kitchen Manager and Barista for Makework Market, and as a homeschool teacher for individuals with learning disabilities for several years.
Abbi supports the Beacons instructional team with her talents in photography, social media, cooking, money management and numerous other areas to help our trainees explore and learn skills to bridge gaps to employment and increase their independence. Abbi brings her love of her older brother, who has a developmental disability, to all those she works with and in everything she does.
Lead Instructor
Janet is a dedicated professional with a profound commitment to empowering adults with developmental disabilities. With a strong foundation cultivated over 16 years in customer-facing roles within the food and service industry, as well as memory care retirement homes, Janet possesses a unique ability to connect with individuals from diverse backgrounds. Her genuine passion for making a difference led her to four impactful years at another local service provider, where she played a pivotal role as a Resource Counselor, nurturing essential life skills and fostering independence among her participants.
Janet's expertise is complemented by her ACRE certification in Community Employment Services, a testament to her dedication to tailored job placements. At Beacons, she will embrace her role as an associate instructor, skillfully guiding individuals to overcome challenges and supporting them on their path to purposeful and rewarding careers. Janet's empathy-driven communication and unwavering commitment to inclusivity exemplify her mission to create a positive, lasting influence on lives, making her an indispensable asset to the team.
Associate Instructor
Chassidy’s passion for engaging, guiding, and mentoring shines brightly in her role at Beacons. The trust and rapport she has built with the trainees is evident in her intense ping pong matches with them, the nurturing visits she takes with them to the animal shelter, and her dedicated efforts in orchestrating special events like the annual Halloween costume contest. Chassidy is a military wife and resided in various states including Texas, Louisiana, Tennessee, Colorado, Georgia, Virginia, and California. Chassidy is a brand new grandma to an amazing little girl. Chassidy finds joy in hiking, going to the beach, exploring San Diego and gluten free baking.
Chassidy holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology with an emphasis in Education and Human Development from Northwestern State University. Her commitment to personal growth and professional development is evident in her recent acquisition of an ACRE certification, in which she strengthened her expertise in supporting employment for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Chassidy looks forward to supporting the growth and success of our trainees at Beacons and to leave a legacy of kindness and positive karma that ripples throughout the world.
Associate Instructor
Tracy plays a vital role in supporting the personal and professional growth of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Her involvement at Beacons is fueled by a belief in the transformative power of job training and social opportunities to enhance lives, a commitment mirrored in her own experiences as a parent.
Transitioning from early childhood education to vocational training, Tracy has found her stride in engaging with a demographic that thrives under her guidance. She is known for her empathetic approach, listening keenly to the trainees and offering advice that resonates with their unique paths.
In her role, Tracy faces and overcomes challenges with a positive spirit, drawing inspiration from the resilience and achievements of those she mentors. Her personal joy comes from witnessing the direct impact of her work, whether it's through a trainee's smile or a problem solved. Beyond her professional life, Tracy’s heart lies in the simple pleasures of nature and self-sufficiency, with hobbies that range from gardening to biking, and aspirations that reflect her down-to-earth ethos.
Elise Scheiffele is a recent National University graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in English. She is on track to pursue a postgraduate degree in English and is hopeful to adopt the art of instructing at Beacons. She is driven by her passion for fostering creative learning environments.
Having honed her skills in various industries such as Preschool education, hospitality, beauty, entertainment, and publishing, Elise is eager to bring her unique experiences in the customer service world to her role at Beacons. With her “jack of all trades” experience, Elise is inspired to bring a plethora of new skills and creative ideas for trainees to adopt.
Her goal is to adopt a hands-on, friendly and fun environment that prioritizes self-confidence and collaboration on projects that will enable new skills to be developed. She is optimistic to forge new connections in her role at Beacons.